Hospitals brace as flu and RSV cases surge

Emergency departments, already operating under pressure and over capacity, are bracing for the surge.

Overstretched hospitals are bracing for a surge over Christmas after a doubling of flu and RSV cases in a week led to hundreds of hospitalisations.

More than 2,000 cases of flu, RSV, and covid have been notified in the past week, with 600 people hospitalised as a direct result, the HSE said.